In a brand-new, spotless surgery room, veterinarian Tara Britt relieved an aging cat of its bladder stones Friday afternoon, the sunlight streaming in through two walls of windows making the surgical lights seem almost superfluous.

Britt and business partner Dr. Jennifer Lowry are enjoying the state-of-the-art amenities at Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists, the small-animal veterinary hospital they opened March 17 in northeast Loveland.

The practice offers 24-hour emergency care and veterinary specialists in a number of disciplines, according to Jane Snyder, customer service representative at Four Seasons.

Two of those specialists are the owners themselves: Lowry is board-certified in radiology and taught radiology at Colorado State University's vet teaching hospital for 12 years, and Britt is a board-certified surgeon.

Both had practices in Northern Colorado before they decided about a year ago to launch the new hospital, and they both continue to serve clients through those practices, Lowry said.

12 Veterinarians: Several Specialists

They have assembled a staff of more than 30, including 12 veterinarians, Snyder said.

The hospital stays staffed and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said.

"We never close. We have access to our specialists at any time, but we always have an emergency room doctor on staff," Snyder said.

The practice doesn't offer general veterinary care, such as vaccinations, spays and neuters, she said. The patients come in as after-hours emergency cases or are referred from other veterinarians, she said.

"They often are in serious shape when they come in," Snyder said. "They may be beyond the scope of a general-practice vet."

Lowry said the independent specialists who now work at the hospital needed a home base for their practices.

Regional Outlook

"We really are planning on becoming the regional center for this area," Lowry said. Four Seasons' location at 4120 Clydesdale Parkway, just east of Interstate 25 and south of Crossroads Boulevard, was chosen with that regional approach in mind, she said.

The building was built in 2008, she said, but sat unfinished through the recession. In just 11 weeks, Jordy Construction of Denver built a modern veterinary hospital on the 5,000-square-foot ground floor.

Before the partners decided to buy the building last year, they had to conduct an important test, she said.

They had someone turn on the elevator so they could try pushing a gurney in and out its doors. After satisfying themselves that it would work, they immediately signed a contract on the building, Lowry said.

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